if i am 12 and i moved to mercury for 13 mercury years, how old would i be compared to someone on earth?

Mercury takes about 88 days to complete an orbit around the Sun. So a year on Mercury is 88 Earth days, or nearly 24% of an Earth year. If you expend 13 Mercury years, you just have got a little over 3.12 years older on Earth.

October 2, 2009

callum (australia)

what is the most commen element found on mercury?

Mercury consists of approximately 70% metallic and 30% silicate material. Mercury's core,which occupies occupies about 42% of its volume, has a higher iron content than that of any other major planet in the Solar System.

August 11, 2009

Kodi (Minnesota)

what is the distance in light minutes/hours between earth and mercury?

Mercury's minimum distance from Earth is 77.3 million km or 0.0716236238 light hours.

August 6, 2009

Catherine (Vancouver,WA)

When do we get to see Mercury? If so,When?

Because of Mercury's size and closeness to the sun, the planet is often hard to see without a telescope. From the northern hemisphere, it is visible in the morning sky this year in February and early March, June, and October. In the evening, Mercury is best seen in April and early May, August and early September, and December. Adapted from StarDate online.

May 19, 2009

julie

do you think that eventually mercury may burn out?

Yes, and the same will happen to Venus and Earth in about 5 billion years (5000 000 000 years), when the hydrogen in the center of the Sun will start to run out, the helium will get squeezed, and this will speed up the hydrogen burning. Our star will slowly puff into a red giant and will eventually eat all of the inner planets, including the Earth.

May 18, 2009

Hannah (QLD)

What is Mercury's surface made of? I really need to know for a school project!

Mercury, the innermost planet of the solar system, is a little bigger than the Earth's Moon. The surface of the planet is covered with craters, like the Moon, but temperatures there can reach over 800oF because Mercury is so close to the Sun and rotates so slowly. The composition of Mercury is probably high in iron, although surface features indicate that volcanic activity once existed at the surface.

April 16, 2009

Paige (AL/US)

We have a report to do and i was wondering what EXACTLY is Mercury's atmosphere like? at least 2 paragraphs, please?

So far, observations of Mercury from ground-based observers and the Mariner 10 spacecraft have not shown evidence of a significant atmosphere compared to other planets. Mariner 10 did observe a tiny amount of helium 1000 km above the surface, but this is probably caused by the solar wind and the breakdown of Mercury's crust. Sodium, potassium and oxygen have also been detected in Mercury's very weak atmosphere, but these elements can be lost when they react with the Sun and Mercury's magnetic field.

March 16, 2009

shannon (san antonio ,tx)

how long is a day on the planet of mercury

The lenght of Mercury day (Rotation Period about Axis) is 58.65 Earth days.

March 4, 2009

jodi (canada)

what kind of weather appears on Mercury

Weather occurs in the atmosphere and, so far, observations of Mercury from ground-based observers and the Mariner 10 spacecraft have not shown evidence of a significant atmosphere compared to other planets.

January 30, 2009

hanna (minnesota)

whatis the atmespheric composition of mercury

So far, observations of Mercury from ground-based observers and the Mariner 10 spacecraft have not shown evidence of a significant atmosphere compared to other planets. Mariner 10 did observe a tiny amount of helium 1000 km above the surface, but this is probably caused by the solar wind and the breakdown of Mercury's crust. Sodium, potassium and oxygen have also been detected in Mercury's very weak atmosphere, but these elements can be lost when they react with the Sun and Mercury's magnetic field.

September 25, 2008

Catie (Australia)

What is the average tempurature of Mercury??

Mercury average surface temperature is 440 K (166.8 ºC or 332.3 ºF)

August 25, 2008

saniya (hyderabad,INDIA)

what new information in mercury in the year 2008?

This page about MESSENGER's First Mercury Flyby Reveals a "Whole New Planet".

August 18, 2008

Mariana (Melbourne-Australia)

Who discovered Mercury and when?

Mercury's orbit is so close to the Sun that it is difficult to see from Earth. This explains why some early astronomers never saw the planet. Viewed from Earth, Mercury is never far from the Sun in the sky. Because of the glare of the Sun, it can only be seen in twilight. Timocharis made the first recorded observation of Mercury in 265 BC. Other early astronomers that studied Mercury include Zupus (1639), who studied the planet's orbit. More information on our web page Mercury.

August 15, 2008

Michael (California, Irvine)

Why is mercury not the hottest planet?

It is because Venus has a dense atmosphere that creates a strong green house effect. Temperature in Venus can reach more than 450oC (approaching 900F - high enough to melt lead).

August 14, 2008

Cassidy (Ca, USA)

Does Mercury revolve on it's own axis?

Mercury's rotation period about its axis corresponds to 58.65 Earth's days.

July 8, 2008

shawn (missouri)

who named mercury

Mercury was named by the Romans after the messenger of the gods because it seemed to move more quickly than any other planet. Timocharis made the first recorded observation of Mercury in 265 BC. Other early astronomers that studied Mercury include Zupus (1639), who studied the planet's orbit. Because it is so difficult to make out features on the surface of the planet from Earth, it was not until the 1960s that scientists determined the correct day length rate (59 Earth days) of the planet on its axis. This also showed that Mercury's day length and year length are the same.

May 12, 2008

Micaela (U.S.A, Utah)

Is Mercury a solid or gas?

Mercury is a rocky planet. Scientists believe that the interior structure of Mercury includes a metallic core, an intermediate rocky layer, and a thin brittle crust.

April 25, 2008

dontae (nd usa)

what adaptations are needed to live on mercury

There are many adaptations needed for the humans to live in Mercury, but a critical factor are the extreme temperatures in this planet, between -184oC to 427oC (-300oF to 800oF).

April 18, 2008

veronicia ()

What is Mercury's revuloution???

Mercury's Rotation Period about Axis is 58.65 days.

April 7, 2008

KIRWY (bc)

HOW MUCH WILL I WEIGH ON MERCURY

Surface gravity in Mercury is 3.7 m/s2 (0.38 x Earth's). If you weight 100 lb on earth, you will weight 38 lb on Mercury.

April 7, 2008

KIRWY (bc)

IS THERE LIFE ON MERCURY

Scientists have not found any sign of extraterrestrial life, but they keep looking!

April 1, 2008

janelle (Indiana)

what is the color of murcury?

The rocky surface of Mercury is of a dark gray color.

March 12, 2008

chad

when can you see Mercury

Because Mercury is so close to the Sun, it is difficult to see Mercury from Earth. The best time to see it is near sunrise or sunset, when it is out of the light. Mercury is not visible at night because when the Sun sets, so does Mercury. A special opportunity to see Mercury happens on rare occasions, when it passes directly between the Sun and the Earth.

February 4, 2008

Adalise (Mississippi)

What is Mercury's orbit speed in km?

Mer ury's mean orbital speed is 47.89 km/s (29.8 miles/s).

February 3, 2008

Jackie (Alabama)

What is the length of a sidereal day in mercury??

Mercury's rotation period about its axis corresponds to 58.65 Earth's days.

February 3, 2008

Jackie (Alabama)

What is mercury's mass?

Mercury's mass is 0.33x1024 kilograms (0.06 x Earth's)

January 21, 2008

Austin (Ontario, Canada)

Will Mercury ever get its own moon?

Because its proximity to the Sun, it is very unlikely that Mercury will have its own moon.

January 1, 2008

anoosh (canada)

what is the diameter of mercury?please and thank you.

The diameter of Mercury is 4 878 km (3,030 miles).

December 21, 2007

Alexa ()

What is the length of time it takes Mercury to complete it's orbit around the sun?

For Mercury:
Rotation Period about Axis: 58.65 Earth days
Revolution Period about the Sun: 0.24 Earth years

December 20, 2007

Kat (The U.S.A.)

What is Mercury's orbital period?

For Mercury:
Rotation Period about Axis: 58.65 Earth days
Revolution Period about the Sun: 0.24 Earth years

October 18, 2007

nosipho (SA)

what the revolution of mercury

Rotation Period about Axis (Mercury day): 58.65 days
Revolution Period about the Sun (Mercury year): 0.24 years

September 18, 2007

Stephanie (Australia)

What Gases Are Mercury Made up of?

Mercury is a rocky (solid) planet. So far, observations of Mercury from ground-based observers and the Mariner 10 spacecraft have not shown evidence of a significant atmosphere compared to other planets. Mariner 10 did observe a tiny amount of helium 1000 km above the surface, but this is probably caused by the solar wind and the breakdown of Mercury's crust. Sodium, potassium and oxygen have also been detected in Mercury's very weak atmosphere, but these elements can be lost when they react with the Sun and Mercury's magnetic field. More information in our web page Atmosphere of Mercury.

September 11, 2007

Jack (South Australia)

Hello. How long is 1 Mercury Year?

A year in Mercury (its revolution period about the Sun) is 0.24 Earth's year or about 88 Earth days.

July 19, 2007

lucy (australia)

can you tell me some information about mercury

Mercury, the innermost planet of the solar system, is a little bigger than the Earth's Moon. The surface of the planet is covered with craters, like the Moon, but temperatures there can reach over 800oF because Mercury is so close to the Sun and rotates so slowly. More information in our web page Mercury. Some interesting facts in our web page .

July 5, 2007

Kiara (MI)

What is the distance from Sun to Mercury?

Mercury's minimum distance from Sun is 46.0 million km (28.6 million miles) and its maximum distance from Sun is 69.8 million km (43.4 million miles).

July 2, 2007

Marissa (North Carolina)

Does Mercury have volcanoes?

There is a number of volcanoes on Mercury's surface, which helped to make the surface the shape it is now, but there is no evidence of any active volcanoes on Mercury today.

May 23, 2007

Kristina (Canada)

Why does Mercury have no moons.Please expain.

Mercury and Venus are the only planets that do not have either rings or moons. The more likely reason is that these planets are very close to the Sun, and its strong gravity would interfere with anything in orbit around those two planets.

May 22, 2007

LaToya Martin (Ms)

what is mercury atmosphere

So far, observations of Mercury from ground-based observers and the Mariner 10 spacecraft have not shown evidence of a significant atmosphere compared to other planets. Mariner 10 did observe a tiny amount of helium 1000 km above the surface, but this is probably caused by the solar wind and the breakdown of Mercury's crust. Sodium, potassium and oxygen have also been detected in Mercury's very weak atmosphere, but these elements can be lost when they react with the Sun and Mercury's magnetic field.

May 10, 2007

Amanda (South Carolina, North America)

Could we oneday live on Mercury? why or why not?

The temperature range on Mercury goes form -184oC to 427oC
(-300oF to 800oF). So, sustained human life there would be very difficult.

May 5, 2007

Joe (CA)

Where is mercury located in the solar system?

Mercury, at about 58 million km from the Sun, is the closest planet to our star.

May 1, 2007

Gabriela (newyork)

When was Mercury discovered?

Mercury has been observed for thousands of years. There is no record about the first person to observe it. In Roman mythology, Mercury was the messenger-god of Jupiter, and was the god of games, of business, and of story telling. He was the offspring of the god Jupiter and Maia.

April 19, 2007

Isaiah (Az)

HOW LONG WILL A HUMAN LIVE ON MERCRUY?

Mercury, with a range of temperature between -184oC and 427oC (-300oF to 800oF) is very unfriendly for humans!

February 22, 2007

Frog (Florida)

Is there an axis tilt on mercury, if so what is it?

The tilt of Mercury's axis is 0 degree. For more interesting facts about this planet visit our web page mercury Statistics.

February 20, 2007

Kody (Missouri)

Does Mercury Have storms?Why or Why not?

The lack of an atmosphere in Mercury excludes the possibility of storms.

Mercury, the innermost planet of the solar system, is a little bigger than the Earth's Moon. The surface of the planet is covered with craters, like the Moon, but temperatures there can reach over 800oF because Mercury is so close to the Sun and rotates so slowly. Scientists believe that the interior structure of Mercury includes a metallic core, an intermediate rocky layer, and a thin brittle crust. The composition of Mercury is probably high in iron, although surface features indicate that volcanic activity once existed at the surface. There is little evidence of motions near the surface of the planet now, although at earlier times during Mercury's evolution the surface was much more active. We know relatively little about Mercury, compared to most of the other planets, because it is relatively difficult to see and only one spacecraft has studied the planet.
For more information, please visite our web page Mercury.

January 16, 2007

matthew (alberta)

whats the surface appearance like on mercury.

The surface of Mercury is covered with craters, like the Moon, but temperatures there can reach over 800 F because its proximity to the Sun and slow rotation.
More information about this planet can be found in our web page Mercury.

January 3, 2007

kelley (Colorado)

describe mercury's weather conditions

The main characteristic of Mercury is its huge temperature range, which goes from -184 C to 427 C (-300 F to 800 F).

January 3, 2007

trent (cal)

what would you need to survive on Mercury

Keeping in mind the temperature range on Mercury: -184 C to 427 C (-300 F to 800 F), the protection against these extreme changes in temperature would be the first thing that comes to mind.

December 20, 2006

saim (Canada)

what is the meaning of mercury's name?

Mercury was the messenger-god of Jupiter, and was the god of games, of business, and of story telling. He was the offspring of the god Jupiter and Maia. Maia herself was and one of the Pleiades, daughters of the titan Atlas. Mercury was identified with the Greek god Hermes.

December 13, 2006

keila (il.usa)

how long is an hour on mercury

The rotation period of mercury about its axis (day) is 58.65 Earth days.

Scientists believe that the interior structure of Mercury includes a metallic core, an intermediate rocky layer, and a thin brittle crust. Surface features indicate that volcanic activity once existed at the surface.
For more information, please visit our web page Mercury's Interior and Surface

December 6, 2006

Aimee (Connecticut)

How far is Mercury from Earth?

Because all planets are constantly rotating around the Sun, it is useful to establish a frame to determine the average distance between two of them. Let’s assume for this calculation that Mercury and Earth are aligned with the Sun, and use their average distance to the Sun to determine the average distance between them:
Mercury average distance to the Sun: 57.9 million km (36.0 million miles)
Earth average distance to the Sun: 149.0 million km (92.8 million miles)
Difference (average distance between the two planets): 91.1 million km (56.8 million miles)

June 3, 2002

Christy (Vermont, USA)

I printed a picture of the planet Mercury and it had a big line on it. What is the line?

Without seeing the picture, I can't tell for sure. But, sometimes, pictures of planetary bodies have dark black lines or black dots on them. These are places where there wasn't data available. In other words, a picture of that part of the body wasn't taken or wasn't available.

September 14, 2001

Rei (Florida, USA)

I heard from someone that Mercury is collapsing on itself. If this were to occur, how would the rest of the solar system be affected, if at all?

Mercury is pretty stable, and is not collapsing on itself. There is not enough material in planets to compress themselves in this way, so they stay pretty well constant in size.

Will there be any more missions to explore the planets closest to the sun (Mercury & Venus)?

NASA has a number of current and future proposed missions to a large number of places. MESSENGER and VESPER are two possible missions to Mercury and Venus. I am currently working on a proposal for a landed mission to Mercury for submission to NASA's JPL at the end of the summer.

Probably not. The temperatures on Mercury can reach 800 degrees F, hot enough to melt lead! Any living cell would be fried to a crisp rather quickly. Water hasn't been found on the planet, something that is necessary to sustain life. If we ever develop the technology to protect ourselves and provide the essentials for life, maybe one day we can live on Mercury.

January 8, 1999

Jessica

Does Mercury have seasons?

No. Seasons are cause by the tilt of the axis relative to the planet's orbital motion. Mercury's axis is directly perpendicular to its motion, so it has no seasons.

November 12, 1998

Deanna (Illinois, USA)

Does Mercury have an atmosphere?

No, the most recent observations have shown Mercury to have almost no atmosphere.

May 27, 1998

Candace (Virginia, USA)

Who discovered the planet Mercury and how did it get its name?

Mercury has been known since at least the time of the Sumerians (3rd millennium BC). Mercury is the god of commerce and transportation in Roman mythology. Mercury is the Roman counterpart to the Greek god Hermes, the messenger of the gods. Mercury probably got this particular name because it moves across the sky so quickly.

May 26, 1998

Tim (England)

We noticed that Mercury's year is 88 Earth days and its day is 176 Earth days. Ok, so why is the day longer than the year ?

Well, we do have some info on our site. But, you're right! There is not a ton of info out there. This is because there has only been one mission sent to Mercury. Mariner 10 flew by the planet in 1974 and mapped about half of the planet's surface.

April 17, 1998

Beth (Florida, U.S.A.)

A day on Mercury is 176 Earth days, and a year on Mercury is 88 Earth days.
How is a that???

The reason is simply that Mercury sloooowwwwlllyyyy turns. Over the time Mercury has been around the Sun, it has evolved into this rhythm with the Sun.
Another example sort-of like this is Pluto orbits the Sun EXACTLY 2 times for every 3 times Neptune does. They have reached a 'harmony' of orbits.
What happens in bad harmonies? Prometheus, a Saturn moon in between 2 rings, found out the hard way. It is now in a different orbit than it was a few years ago. Prometheus got too close to the ring material and the collision moved the moon to an orbit
19 degrees off its orbit from before.

February 27, 1998

Nathan (USA)

What is Mercury's closest and farthest orbital to the sun? And how much a 100lbs person would weight on Mercury

When Mercury is closest to the Sun, it is 46,000,000 km away. At its farthest, it is 69,800,000 km away. If you weighed 100 lbs (45 kg) on Earth, you would weigh 38 lbs (17 kg) on Mercury.

February 20, 1998

Camille and Ken (Massachusetts, USA)

Is there a planet which goes through phases like the moon, is seen just before sunrise, and just after sunset for about fifteen minutes, and has been seen to go westward on some nights, and eastward on other nights? What planet would you say it would be, or does such a planet not exist in this solar system?

The planet is probably Mercury. Mercury and Venus both show phases, but Venus can be seen for much longer than just 15 minutes.

January 6, 1998

Jojo (Washington, D.C., USA)

Is Mercury really grey, or does it just look that way because of the photographs?

It is really grey! In fact, it looks a lot like our Moon does, including all of those craters!

January 6, 1998

Cassie (Nevada, USA)

What is Mercury's composition?

Scientists think that Mercury is almost 70% iron. Most of this iron is probably concentrated in the planet's core. So even though Mercury is one of the smallest planets, it is the second most dense planet in the solar system.

December 30, 1997

Christie (Corvallis, USA)

How hot is Pluto? Mars? Mercury?

Pluto:-229o C
Mars:-82o C to 0o C
Mercury:-184o C to 427o C
This information is available for every planet on each planet's Planetary Facts page.

November 26, 1997

Cassie (Nevada, USA)

When was Mercury discovered?

Mercury has been known since at least the time of the Sumerians in the 3rd millennium B.C.